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Chaudière
Falls, my most recent novel of dramatized history, is based upon
the founding of Canada's National Capital Region, and how Ottawa became
the nation's capital. It's available in two formats: Trade Paperback
and as an ebook. Click on the Purchase tab to see the options. For residents
of Ottawa, Ontario, it's also available in both formats at the Ottawa
Public Library: https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/search?locale=en-CA&t=keyword&q=Chaudiere%20Falls.
If the library in your community isn't carrying it, most libraries will
accept patrons' requests to purchase books.

In a day
of tiny attention spans and fake news, Chaudière Falls
reminds us of the value of meticulously researched history. The 655-page
narrative brims with period details that support David Mulholland's
historical-fiction epic.

In Falls, he throws
back the curtain on roughly six key decades during which a backwoods
settlement hacks, brawls, and negotiates its way toward becoming a new
nation. It's the early 1800s at the confluence of three great rivers:
the Ottawa, Rideau, and Gatineau. Here, on the lip of the great cataract
venerated by the Algonquins, pioneer Philemon Wright carves out the
first farm from the towering bush, and launches the timber trade that
fires the fledgling colony.

Famous figures abound as
Upper and Lower Canada eye each other suspiciously across the tumultuous
abyss. There are the builders: Billings, McKay, and Sparks. The timber
barons: Gilmour, Bronson, and Eddy. Commanding Royal Engineer Lieutenant-Colonel
John By rises above the rankling as he administers the growing town
that bears his name and, against all odds, pushes his monumental canal
through the dense, towering wilderness.

While British nabobs and
tree-stump contrivers jostle for Queen Victoria's influence over the
naming of a new capital, through his fictional character, backwoodsman
Jed Jansen, Mulholland poignantly relates the pioneer's personal struggle
to survive.

Historians have written much
about milestones like the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, the War of
1812, and the building of the transcontinental railway. The six decades
compellingly depicted in Chaudière Falls may not include
a precise, dramatic milestone, but it was those years that significantly
shaped our looming confederation. Credit to Mulholland for recognizing
the impact of a lost era, and for so adroitly putting it to pen.

"This
dramatized history relates in gripping detail how a lawless lumber town
became the civilized capital of the nation. The author's superb research
brings to life the heartbreaking challenges faced by the men and women
who founded Bytown, including Colonel John By, the determined engineer
who built the Rideau Canal that was to become the region's military
and economic lifeline."

"Mulholland
takes us inside the sad plight of the Irish labourers on the Canal who
undertook the backbreaking and dangerous labour of cutting through two
miles of rock, at least sixty feet deep. We enter into their tragic
and brief lives, marred by disease, crippling and often-fatal accidents,
poverty and prejudice."

"Through
his fictional protagonist, Jedediah Jansen, who from boyhood onward
seeks emotional refuge on "his" rock overlooking the Chaudière
Falls, Mulholland shows us the physical and emotional toll the lumber
industry took on an individual. Jed's life is marked by risk, financial
uncertainty, violence, and loss. The long, hard seasons in the bush
tax his marriage, resulting in a tragic train of events, and his troubled
quest for redemption."

"Chaudière
Falls: A Novel of Dramatized History
. . . is both an orthodox and atypical addition to the genre of historically-based
fiction." "It is epic in scope . . ." "Ultimately,
Chaudière Falls is a labour of love, a thoughtfully crafted
history of a story not often told. While history is easy to mythologize,
the novel's sober approach shows the author's remarkable eye for detail.
For the history fiends who like fact to work in tandem with fiction,
Chaudière Falls is a can't miss."

Contentious
Issue: The book's title
has attracted members of both Free the Falls, who want the cataract
dam removed and the falls and islands administered by the Algonquins,
for whom it is sacred land, and a partner in Windmill, the company planning
to develop the site for residential and commercial use. Other players
include the city of Ottawa, the National Capital Commission, Hydro Ottawa,
and the Algonquins of Ontario.

I am not taking a position
on this controversial issue. However, when doing research for
my novel, I discovered that the Algonquins living in the area
in 1800 did not know that a tribe of Mississauga, who lived at
Georgian Bay, had surrendered the land to the Crown. Under my
Excerpts' tab, you can read about Philemon Wright's first
encounter with the Algonquins. Most of the scene unfolds from
the point-of-view of Jedediah Jansen, my main fictional
character, who is ten years old at the time.

***

Website Feature: It is now de rigueur for companies to promote themselves
through a website, but it's rare for a business to include a page
featuring people such as myself who work at an artistic endeavour.

That, however, is what Nick Milito does on his website. Nick is the owner of Ideal
Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning in Ottawa, Ontario. Assisted
by his friend, Anil Balaram, his monthly newsletter includes
just such a page, and in this year's (2017) February and March
editions, yours
truly is front and centre.

A note to book clubs:
I'm willing to attend discussions of my novels. It's a way for me to
get input from people who don't feel obligated to be complimentary.
If at least five club members purchase books, signed copies can be had
at a saving of $5.25. Chaudière Falls retails for $35.00
+ 5%HST ($36.75); so $31.50, no HST. McNab and DUEL retail
for $19.95 + 5%HST ($20.95); so $15.75, no HST. I've attended discussions
at a few clubs; there was no kicking and screaming. (I waited until
I got home.) If your club is interested, please send
an email and I'll get back to you. Thanks

A note to historical
societies: I've put together a presentation entitled How
Historical Fiction Complements the Historical Record. To support
my hypothesis, I read short excerpts from McNab and DUEL,
as well as draw upon the work of two other authors of historical fiction.
The presentation is approximately 25 minutes in length, after which
I usually spend some time answering questions. I'll also read excerpts
from Chaudière Falls that
demonstrate the breadth of the story. If
your group would be interested in having me as a guest speaker, please
send
an email and I'll get back to you. Thanks

The Author's Journey:
Every writer's journey to getting published is unique. I'm pleased to
join fellow authors, Joelle Hubner-McLean (http://corvusandme.com/),
Claudia Radmore (https://claudiaradmore.com/),
and Sandra Nikolai (https://www.sandranikolai.com/)
in describing the challenging road to bringing our creative efforts
to appreciative readers. Libraries, book clubs, writers' groups, etc.
Contact one of us to book our informative and entertaining panel. There's
no fee. We'll have books on hand for anyone interested in purchasing
a copy.

***

Trailer
for McNab: I've joined the growing number of authors who
have video trailers to promote their books. Chief Archibald
McNab's Piper, Malcolm Kenneth MacGregor, is talking
about my novel, McNab, on You Tube. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rp7RBVIyjNQ

Ottawa author David Mulholland's latest novel, Chaudière
Falls, is a gem of a book for readers who glory in dramatized history.
He seamlessly meshes a romantic novel with a meticulously researched
history of what was formerly known as Bytown, Wrightsville, Aylmer,
New Edinburgh, and Billings Bridge.

The author fleshes out such historical figures as Philemon Wright,
the American pioneer who founded Hull Township, Lieutenant-Colonel John
By, the Commanding Royal Engineer in charge of building Ottawa's Rideau
Canal, Bytown's primary land owner Nicholas Sparks, intrepid stonemason
Thomas McKay, and Braddish Billings.

The reader learns about the hardships and perils of the Irish navvies
whose labour built the canal, the lumbermen who hurled down mighty pine
trees and built the rafts that transported them to market, the violence
in Bytown by the Shiners, which surpassed the reputation of America's
wild west, and the intense rivalry between the burgeoning towns of York/Toronto,
Kingston, Bytown/Ottawa, Montréal, and Ville de Québec
to become Canada's National Capital.

All in one enthralling story!

Charles Fairhall
Aylmer, Québec

_______________

Hi Charles,

Thank you for taking the time and making the effort to write a comprehensive
and insightful review. I very much appreciate it.

I just finished reading Chaudière Falls. It's certainly
a long novel, but I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish, and
I highly recommend it. It would have helped to have had a 19th century
map of what is now our National Capital Region to locate some of the
story. The chapters depicting the turbulent personal life of your main
fictional character and how he deals with the shenanigans of the timber
trade are a welcome contrast to all the political scheming. Well done!
I look forward to reading your next novel.

Ace Powell
_______________

Hi Ace,

Thanks very much for taking the time to send me your thoughts on the
story. I do appreciate it. The idea of including a map didn't occur
to me, but, yes, it would have made a complementary addition to the
text.

This is to let you know how much I appreciate your recent review of
my book, Off in a Cloud of Heifer DustSome Ottawa Valley Yarns.
It is the first review that I have received on any of the four books
that I have had published, and it has really put a spring in my step.
I hope you don't mind if I shop it around a bit.

I just finished Chaudière Falls. I found it to be an
intriguing portrayal of how truly difficult and dangerous life was in
the 1800s in what is now our national capital. The characters---fictional
and historical---come alive on the pages of the book. It's educational,
but not pontificating. I learned a lot. Your detailed research really
pays off. It's a great read! I certainly recommend it.

Norman K. Takeuchi
Visual Artist
_______________

Thank you, Norman.

Your comments are very much appreciated.

David ________________________________________________________________________________________

Combining meticulous, historical research and fictionalized characterization,
Chaudière Falls brings to life a significant pioneering
period in the Ottawa Valley. It captures the events and daily lives
of an era under appreciated in Canadian literature. The author is to
be commended for cleverly assembling an engaging novel from very demanding
research, and for succeeding in giving readers delightful insights into
a past we still share today.

Robert W.
_______________

Thank you, Robert.

I very much appreciate your complimentary observations, and that you
took the time to post them.

David ________________________________________________________________________________________

I'm interested in buying the book McNab; it has a bit of history
for me.

When Chief McNab came to Canada, he brought with him James Storie,
who was among the first 20 settlers to arrive on The Niagara with Laird
McNab's group. That was the first shipload of twenty families in 1825.
James was my great, great, great grandfather.

Please help.

Thanks, Karen Kozak (email address removed)
_______________

Hi Karen,

Thanks for your interest. I'll get back to you.

David ________________________________________________________________________________________

Hello David,

I purchased your book McNab in Perth at the Christmas Craft
Fair and put it in my stack of to-read books. I started reading it recently
and did I ever enjoy it! You certainly know how to tell a story!

My ancestors came from Scotland and settled, first, in Glengarry, and
then in Renfrew County because of free land grants. Although they were
not under the McNab thumb, your story told their story, too, in many
ways.

I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed it, and I will keep
it to read again.

Jayne Sigmund
_______________

Hi Jayne,

Thanks very much for taking the time to post your comments; I do appreciate
it. Glad you enjoyed the novel.

All the best,

David ________________________________________________________________________________________

Hi David,

I just finished reading McNab. Congratulations! What a delightful
book. I could hardly put it down.

You state that it is fiction, but it sure rings of a true story. The
Scottish dialect and accents with which you have imbued it is amazing.
One can hear the voices in one's mind as if it was a live stage play
or movie. What a great platform for a TV mini-series this would make.

I have ordered several more copies to offer as Christmas gifts.

Thank you for such a wonderful contribution to Canadian literature.

Sincerely,

John Robillard,
Stittsville, Ontario
_______________

Hi John,

Thanks very much for your positive appraisal. Glad you enjoyed the
story, and I really appreciate that you took the time to let me know
what you thought of it. You've made my day!

David ________________________________________________________________________________________

Hello,

I work at the Pembroke Public Library. I was wondering if you would
be interested in doing a presentation here some time in the future?
(email address removed)

Thank you for your time and consideration of this matter.

Have a great day.

Janet Morel
_______________

Thanks for the invitation, Janet. Yes, certainly! I'll be in touch.

David ________________________________________________________________________________________

I read both McNab and DUEL.

Your use of the Scottish dialect in McNab made the story more
authentic. And I could see so clearly some of the places you mention
because I remember them from when I lived in Arnprior. Showing what
life was like in Scotland in the 19th century also added to the story.
Living was really hard back then.

The blacksmith in DUEL made me really mad! He seemed honest
enough in his business dealings, but a liar and conniver in his personal
relationships. I was enraged by his despicable behaviour! He should
have been man enough to take responsibility. His letters to Mary echo
throughout the story. I was angry when I finished the book because of
what happened to Lyon.

I thought both books were well written, and I look forward to your
next one.

Mimi
_______________

Hi Mimi,

Thanks for your interesting appraisal of both novels.

David ________________________________________________________________________________________

I talked to the author at the Ploughing Match, and was promised a
good read. Well, it certainly was! I enjoyed the book from beginning
to end.
_______________

Dear Reader,

Thanks very much. Glad you enjoyed the story. But I'm wondering which
novel you read: McNab or DUEL?

David ________________________________________________________________________________________

When I met you at the Perth Museum, where the high school history class
were screening their historical documentaries on Perth, I was intrigued
when you said your book was based upon a document written by a blacksmith
some 50 years after the duel between Lyon and Wilson.

Having read it, I see that both your book and my documentary, Daniel's
Journey: History Rewritten, deal with the question: what is truth?
Especially in history! Commonly held historical beliefs might be altered,
or completely shattered, when a new document comes to light. How then
do we deal with the historical record? How is history rewritten?

I became more curious when told at the Booknook in Perth that feedback
from readers said they found your book a little risqué.
How can a book about a fatal duel be risqué?

I knew a bit about the duel itself, and many of the characters described
in your book, but you provide details about the life and times in early
Perth that brought the characters of Rev. Bell, Matheson, and the other
players of the time back to life.

I found your premise-the newly discovered document-the most interesting
part of the story. How did such a document come to light? Is it real?
The photos in the book of a few pages of the blacksmith's letter . .
. ah, but you leave it up to the reader to form any final opinions about
that letter. I found the story quite fascinating, a good read, and,
in some ways, a parallel to the story line in my documentary. You give
us a feel for what life was like in Perth at that time. Was it risqué?
In early puritanical Perth, could anything be risqué?
I'll leave it up to your readers to form their own opinions on that.

Well done, David!

Hugh Chatfield
_______________

Thanks for your insightful comments, Hugh.

Dear Reader,

The link to Hugh's website on Daniel Daverne is under my Links tab.

David ________________________________________________________________________________________

Dear David,

I enjoyed reading the material on your website. Some of your ideas,
and the comments of others, gave me a real nudge to look into the fascinating
world of historical fiction. I always thought historical fiction was
just fiction built into a certain era. I did not realize the work was
based on facts, happenings, and people of a certain era. Thank you for
your insight. It's exciting to start on a new adventure.

Mimi
_______________

Hi Mimi,

Thanks for your comments. Hope you enjoy many more novels of historical
fiction..

David ________________________________________________________________________________________

I found DUEL interesting. The blacksmith's description of small
town gossip and rivalries gave me a look into what it was like to live
in a small town at that time. The hand-written examples of his essay
were a nice touch. His complaints about his arthritis giving him problems
writing the report added credibility to the story. The references to
Richmond Road and his staying at the hotel in Bytown were fun to read,
and gave the story a sense of local history.

The name change for Rideau Ferry from the original name was interesting.
The description of the public hanging was informative. I did not realize
that a person was hanged from anything other than a gallows. This hanging
from a garret was quite gruesome. The large crowds and festive atmosphere
made it all the more bizarre. They didn't have much entertainment in
small towns in those days.

Moe
_______________

Thanks for your insightful observations, Moe.

David ________________________________________________________________________________________

Thanks for writing the book, David.

My Name is Dan Wilson; John Wilson was my great, great grandfather.
We have this documented in our family bible, but I'm looking forward
to reading a different take on that part of his life
_______________

Hi Dan,

For others who may be reading your post, you're referring to my novel,
DUEL, which is based upon the duel between your great, great
grandfather and Robert Lyon that took place in Perth, Upper Canada (Ontario),
on June 13, 1833.

Hope you enjoy the story.

Thanks for writing,

David ________________________________________________________________________________________

It was a joy to read David Mulholland's latest novel, DUEL .
While the account of the events leading up to and including the duel
are fascinating, what really appealed to me was the way in which the
writer of the report (aka Mulholland???) fought to remember the details
surrounding the event some 50 years later, and the charming way in which
he expressed those thoughts. As he relates his remembrances of events,
his thoughts twist and turn and sometimes go off at interesting tangents.

The novel affords us some interesting and compelling insights into
rural life in the 1800's, and includes some insights into relationships
between young folk at the time that are sure to evoke memories in those
of us living many years later.

This is a very good read, and I highly recommend it.

(Dr.) John Jones
_______________

Thanks, John. I appreciate your observations.

David ________________________________________________________________________________________

I've often visited Perth, but your novel DUEL made me see the
town in a whole new light. I got a real sense of what day-to-day life
was like for Perth residents in the 1830s: a hotbed of gossip and a
place very much under the sway of the moralizing Presbyterian minister.

DUEL is also a wonderful exploration of how jealousy can drive
a thwarted lover to extreme and fatal action. The book offers an intriguing
look at the complex emotional and social dynamics that resulted in Canada's
famous "last duel."

Wendy
_______________

Thanks for your comments, Wendy.

David ________________________________________________________________________________________

Great book (DUEL) again, David.

I don't know how you do it. You truly bring to light the Puritan angst
of the period.

Congratulations.

Art
_______________

Thanks, Art.

David ________________________________________________________________________________________

Hi David,

We are very pleased that you are coming to the Scottish Festival.

When I contacted you about coming, I forgot to find out if you needed
to have a tent provided, or if you have your own tent. Could you please
call us to let us know what you require.

I read DUEL a few months ago, and I enjoyed reading a novel
set in Perth. I teach a Local History course (we study Perth) at Perth
and District Collegiate Institute, and I would like to extend an invitation
for you to come to my class and speak about the duel and about how you
did the research for your novel. I would very much enjoy having you
speak to the students. I do hope that this is something you will consider
doing. Thank you for your consideration of my request.

Cheers,

Tim Zander
_______________

Hi Tim,

I'd be happy to speak to your students. I'll be in touch by email.

David ________________________________________________________________________________________

DUEL was an excellent read!

David Mulholland has a way of turning a phrase, and also the ability
to almost give out tidbits of information and then pull them back. The
pages turned faster than I wanted them to, and I was sorry when I reached
the last page.

Both DUEL and McNab brought history to life, and the
colourful characters are great!